The big race Friday night at the Yorkton Exhibition Association track had Power Maid pace the mile in a crisp 2:01.1 for driver Glenn LeDrew
. The time was tied for the best of the night.
The Saskatchewan Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association Four-year-old Pace had Brian Gray in second with Pumpjack and Tyler Redwood in third with Get Out of Town.
LeDrew said Power Maid seemed to peak for the race.
“She's been good all year if you look at her chart,” he said, adding Friday she was at her best. “... You've got to give her a pat on the back. She raced a great race tonight ... She just seemed to be at the top of her game tonight.”
The difference for the race Friday may have just been confidence for Power Maid, said LeDrew, adding the last couple of weeks she has paced good miles. “She got a bit braver,” he said.
LeDrew said the race set up well for Power Maid, although he noted, “I had to move her a bit earlier than I wanted too.”
That said, when he needed to, LeDrew said he “edged her outside, and she was really game.”
It was a big night for Redwood, who drove three winner's, and had a total of five top-three finishes on the night.
“It's an amazing year we're having,” he said.
Redwood's biggest win came in the Yorkton Co-op Feature as he took Phil House to the winner's circle in a time of 2:02.2, ahead of Ryan Grundy and Kneehill Harry, who were in for second, and Kevin Sampson with O JS Boy was third.
Redwood said Phil House is in a groove.
“He's a monster right now,” he said. “He had a bug last year and couldn't win, but that was like win five for us now ... He's the best he's ever going to be. He's amazing.”
It was a case where the trip was a good one for Redwood and Phil House Friday.
“I got a perfect trip out of him tonight,” he said, adding he was right behind the leader at the three-quarter mile pole. “I asked him for more at the three-quarter pole and he totally responded ...
“He's just class. It was all him. He just knows what he's doing.”
Redwood also tied for the best time of the night in the final race of the card, pacing Kg Dna to the top spot in a time of 2:01.1 The solid time did not surprise Redwood, who noted Kg Dna was coming off a 1:59.3 time in Holland, MB. August 23.
“He's consistently coming home in 30-seconds [over the last quarter-mile],” he said, adding that the six-year-old gelding is strong in his class.
“He's probably the best two-thousand claimer on the grounds,” he said. Kg Dna has had six top-three finishes in his last seven races.
Redwood also had a win with Barona Galaxy, in the four-year-old's first race of 2009. The mare took the night's second race in a time of 2:05.1
The Gallagher Centre Feature went off in a time of 2:02, with veteran driver Donald Tracey taking Camaction to top spot over Right On Willie and driver Ryan Grundy, and Redwood with Shyloh Shazam.
Tracey also took Sgt Pepper to a win in the opening race of the night. It was the first race of the three-year-old's career, coming home in a time of 2:05.2.
Kevin Sampson was aboard Bigtime Jackpot in the Parker Quine LLP Feature, taking the six-year-old gelding to the winner's circle in a time of 2:04.2, ahead of Tracey in the place spot with Outlaw Hondo, while Brian Gray was in for show with Unda Investigation.
Sampson also piloted Always Bizzy to top spot in race four of the card in a time of 2:02.2.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.
(Yorkton Exhibition)